Being a landlord isn’t always easy. Dealing with tenants who are bad payers or appear to be on a mission to turn your rental property into a rubbish tip can be time consuming and stressful.

Renters currently have the upper hand in many Australian cities. Inner-city Brisbane, for example, has experienced a high volume of apartment construction in recent years and landlords have had to reduce rents and offer incentives to lock in leases.

With renters able to pick and choose, landlords need to try harder to ensure they attract –and keep – top quality tenants.

Here are some tips for achieving this:

Best face forward

The way you present and market your property will influence the type of interest you receive. If a rental property appears dirty and unkempt, prospective tenants may assume you’ll be equally lackadaisical once they’re in residence. This may be appealing to those who share your ‘relaxed’ approach to home and garden care, but it’s likely to be a turn-off for renters who keep things in proper order. The better the home looks and feels, the higher the calibre of applicants you’ll attract (and the higher the rent you can potentially command).

Extra enticements

Faced with the choice between your dwelling and another that’s broadly equivalent, tenants are likely to go for the property that offers extras that add to their comfort. Installing air conditioners in the living room and main bedroom may tip the balance in your favour, or deter good sitting tenants from considering their options during the summer sizzle. Similarly, a dishwasher in the kitchen and freestanding wardrobes in bedrooms that lack built-ins are modest investments that can make a big difference.

Gardening made easy

Not everyone has a green thumb. Ensuring garden maintenance is as easy as possible can make your house or townhouse appealing to renters who may be good payers, but don’t have the time or inclination to mow and prune. Consider providing a green bin, include a monthly or quarterly yard clean-up in the rent and plant shrubs and trees that require minimal TLC.

Lock it up

If you want tenants to take good care of your property, it pays to demonstrate that you’re committed to looking after their personal property too. Installing security that’s appropriate to the home and the neighbourhood can provide peace of mind and make it cheaper and easier for tenants to obtain contents insurance.

Attend to maintenance

Having to ask repeatedly for something to be fixed is irritating, particularly if the request is reasonable. Attending to repairs as soon as possible tells good tenants you respect them and value the relationship. Conversely, making them wait weeks for maintenance requests to be actioned may result in them looking elsewhere for a landlord who can keep up their end of the bargain.

Reasonable rent rises

The market will determine the rent you can charge. If what you’re asking isn’t on par with equivalent dwellings in the same area, renters will assess their options. Should a lease be due to expire and you’re happy with the tenant, it’s wise to be realistic about rent rises – or open to the possibility of a reduction if the market has dropped. Keeping a good tenant is usually easier than finding a replacement